Carotene bodies in the carrot root are developed from a membrane-bounded body, a proplastid. Carotenoid pigment crystallizes in the proplastid to form the typical carotene body. A mature carotene body is a pigment crystal composed of superimposed layers. Carotene-starch complexes of orange carrots, as well as pigments and plastids of other varieties of carrots, are also described.